Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives

Friday, August 17, 2018

Giant walk-through colon part of the FPRC's package of cancer prevention tools for worksites.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives

The Florida Prevention Research Center (FPRC) is currently running a grant-supported intervention to increase the number of employees getting colorectal cancer (CRC) screenings. The FPRC has a strong relationship with current employers, members of the FLHCC - and you could be one of them!

The FPRC’s plans are prepackaged and customizable according to your needs. This program is an excellent opportunity for you to join the national effort of achieving 80% CRC screening rates.

What makes screening so important? Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC - https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/index.htm). However, if detected early, you can survive, and early detection is not possible without regular CRC screening. This is where you can play a part. By partnering with the FPRC, you could facilitate screening in your workplace to ensure that early detection is possible.

Not only will this help you keep your employees healthy, but it will keep your organization running at its full potential.

How can you promote screening? The FPRC will help you by equipping you with a “menu” of options from a communications campaign (eg. emails and flyers), workplace programs (eg. wellness fairs and webinars), workplace policies (adding CRC screening to wellness incentives), and workplace evaluation (eg. pre and post survey of employees). Current employers have said, “It has really started a conversation among our employees about the screening and an interest in the FIT test.”